""Carpathian Change" is a joint initiative of regional military administrations and the Ukrainian Football Association with the support of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. 

"Carpathian Change" combines psychological support with sports and team activities. For many children from frontline regions, it is an opportunity to stay safe, relax, make new friends, and regain some of their normal childhood.

Studies show that children who play sports and participate in joint activities have significantly lower stress levels, even in wartime. This is especially important given the statistics: the level of emotional stress among Ukrainian children in 2025 reached 37%, and the most vulnerable age group is 10–13 years old, where 40% of children have increased emotional stress.

Project scope:

The program will cover 13 regions, over 200 educators, and over 1700 children and will last 28 days.

Already in June of this year, special camps for children aged 9-12 will be held for a month in the territories of Zakarpattia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi regions. 

The Ukrainian Football Association will provide the football component of the project: coaches, sports equipment, and modern training methodology. 

The goal is to form a positive attitude towards group and team activities in children from frontline regions, as well as create a real alternative to psycho-emotional recovery through participation in community life.

As part of the presentation of the event, the UAF and 13 regional military administrations signed a memorandum on participation in the project.

Photo: Dan Balashov

Andriy Shevchenko, President of the Ukrainian Football Association: “I would like to thank the President of Ukraine for supporting this project. Our country is currently facing very serious challenges. One of them is to preserve our youth, the health of youth, including through sports. Now the UAF is very happy to join the “Carpathian Change” project. Our involvement is to help with equipment, help with children's coaches who know how to work with such groups of children. We have experience in organizing football camps for children from front-line regions. “Carpathian Change” is a very serious step in supporting the mental and physical health of Ukrainian children.”
 

Viktor Mykyta, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine: “In the “Carpathian Change” project, each day is clearly planned - how exactly children will engage in sports. In addition, there will be a component of children's cultural development. And, of course, an element of tourism is also included in this program. This has a very positive effect on stress resistance. Many children have only heard that we have our beautiful Carpathians, and now they will see them. So this is definitely the right direction and this joint work of the UAF and regional military administrations will give a positive result.”